Without just a few conference events on the schedule, college sailing is focused this week on interconference events and ICSA Showcase co-ed regattas. On the Thames River at Connecticut College, women's teams from across the US competed for the famed Stu Nelson Trophy in what could be considered a preview of the upcoming Women's Showcase events in MAISA. In nearly perfect conditions, the Bulls of the University of South Florida started strong in A-Division led by skipper Marina Barzaghi, and crews Carolina Rovira and Samantha Kappaz, this week's SAISA women's Sailors of the Week. Finishing day one on the heels of the Stanford Cardinal, the Bulls returned for Sunday driving for a podium finish. Barzaghi, Rovira, and Kappaz delivered six top-3 finishes during the regatta including 2 bullets and brought a third-place A-Division rank and an overall regatta fourth for the event back to St. Petersburg against a deep field of competitors.
In the ICSA co-ed Showcase and Truxtun Umstead Trophy regatta at Navy, the Cougars of the College of Charleston delivered a strong showing in B-Division with SAISA co-ed Sailors of the Week Jack Brown, Katie Lounsbury, Hunter Skinner, Noelle Owen finishing their division just points away from the win in second. Finishing day one with the division lead, the Cougars returned to hold near the front of the fleet for the remainder of the day. With 8 podium finish races and 2 bullets for the event, Brown et. al., finished B-division in second and helped the College of Charleston secure an overall third place finish in the Showcase against some of the best teams in the country. With this finish, the Cougars also advance to the final round of the ICSA Showcase held at the Fiske Harriman Sleigh Trophy regatta at Connecticut College later this season.
About the SAISA Sailors of the Week
Each week of the season, we’ll recognize outstanding performances by sailors across SAISA, as well as by SAISA sailors in competition out of conference. The selection process includes a nomination period each week ending on Sunday. A committee of SAISA coaches from both divisions selects sailors from the nominations received and will announce the SAISA Sailors of the Week early each week following the close of the nomination period. If you’d like to submit a nomination, email the sailor’s name, school, position, and what events or circumstances they demonstrated outstanding performance to SAISAsotw@gmail.com. Nominations close on Sunday at midnight EST and selections will be based on performances for the preceding week and that weekend. Selection categories may include co-ed skipper, co-ed crew, women’s skipper, women’s crew. Pairings or individual sailors may be nominated or selected.
For more information, visit the SAISA website at www.saisasailing.com/sotw